Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stage apparatus, a lithography apparatus, and a method of manufacturing an article.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-163257; proposes, as a technique regarding a stage apparatus, a technique of causing a stage plate to have a hollow rib structure in order to achieve both the high stiffness and light weight of the stage plate. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-163257 discloses a technique of performing negative pressure suction in order to hold a substrate by a chuck placed on the stage plate. It is necessary to make a hole formed in the chuck and an outside (negative pressure pump) communicate with each other by using a pipe or the like when negative pressure suction is performed. However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-163257 does not disclose such a configuration specifically.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-211812 proposes a technique of forming a refrigerant channel on a joint surface inside a stage plate and reducing the influence of thermal deformation of the stage plate. Also in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-211812, it is necessary to form a hole in a gap of the refrigerant channel and make, by using a pipe or the like, portions from the lower surface of the stage plate to the upper surface of a chuck communicate with each other when negative pressure suction is performed in order to hold the chuck. However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-211812 does not disclose such a configuration specifically.
In recent years, an improvement in productivity for a lithography apparatus such as an exposure apparatus or an imprint apparatus is demanded, and a stage apparatus capable of positioning a substrate at a high speed and accuracy in the apparatus is required. Accordingly, in order to improve the control performance of the stage apparatus, the high stiffness and light weight of a stage movable portion are improved. An arrangement is proposed in which, in the imprint apparatus, a plurality of chucking holes are formed in a chuck provided on the stage apparatus and chucking can be turned ON/OFF for each region on the substrate. In such an arrangement, the number of pipes needed for communication tends to be larger than before.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-163257, however, it is difficult to arrange a pipe inside a thick stage plate of the hollow rib structure because the stage plate is provided immediately below the chuck. Furthermore, the light weight is impaired if the thick part of the stage movable portion is increased in order to form a through hole communicating with a corresponding one of the chucking holes in the chuck.
In a case in which the refrigerant channel is formed in the joint surface of the stage plate having the hollow rib structure, a through hole (negative pressure path) which communicates portions from the lower surface of the stage plate to the upper surface of the chuck needs to be formed so as not to interfere with a rib provided on the stage plate. Consequently, the negative pressure path becomes complicated under constraints of layouts such as the hollow rib structure and an implementation in the stage plate, impairing the stiffness and light weight of the entire stage movable portion.